Plumber granted bail after 3 years in custody

An Accra Circuit Court on Monday granted bail to Robert Kofi Amooh, a plumber, in the sum of GH¢15,000 with two sureties. The accused person, who pleaded not guilty, has been in prison custody for the past three years for unlawful entry and robbery.

The accused was last produced in court in 2012. Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Patrick Morkeh told the court presided over by Mr Francis Obiri that the prosecution was still waiting for advice from the Attorney General’s Department. The Judge said he was not enthused about some of these human right abuses that would turn out to be a judgement debt against the state.

He said under the 1992 Constitution, the accused person is innocent until proven guilty of the offence. Mr Obiri said the investigator was not even in court to talk about the steps he had taken so far considering the case. “I have also observed that the complainant is unwilling to come to court,” he added. The Presiding judge said if in the next adjourned date, the prosecution does not start the case, he would discharge the accused person.

DSP Morkeh said the complainant in the case was an immigration officer, while the accused person lives at Circle Odawna. He said on February 28, 2011, at about 0100 hours when the complainant was sleeping, the accused person scaled a wall at the SNNIT flat block at Dansoman, where the complainant lives and entered his room on the third floor.

The prosecution alleged that the accused person stole the complainant’s wallet containing GH¢135, two mobile phones valued at GH¢575 and three watches valued at GH¢610. He said when the accused person wanted to come out of the room through the main door, the complainant spotted him. He said the accused person then pulled out a blade from his pocket and threatened to harm the complainant, if he shouts.

DSP Morkeh said the complainant attempted to apprehend the accused person but he (Robert) cut the complainant with the blade on his arm, stomach and the face. He said the accused person then struggled with the complainant and in the process; the accused person fell from the third floor to the ground floor of the building.

The matter was reported and the accused person was arrested after investigation. The case is adjourned to July 21.